Japanese Imperial Family Today

    Three years have passed since the current HM the Emperor’s accession to the throne in 2019. As part of the Imperial Family's move following the accession, the Emperor and his family moved to the Imperial Palace in September last year, and late last month, the Emperor Emeritus and his wife began living at the Sento Palace in Akasaka Imperial Palace, where he spent his days as Crown Prince.   Meanwhile, the residence of Prince Akishino's family, the younger brother of the Emperor and heir to the throne, is still under renovation, and it has been announced that the renovation will be completed in the fall. The total cost of the renovation of Akishino's residence is approximately 3.3 billion yen (about 26 million USD), and the current temporary residence of the Akishino family until its completion was newly built at a cost of 980 million yen (about 7.7 million USD), so the total construction cost for the family's new life will be about 4.3 billion yen (about 34 mi...

  Her Majesty the Empress Masako visited the Meiji Jingu Hall in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on May 19 to attend the National Red Cross Convention. It was the first time in nearly two years and nine months since the August 2019 Florence Nightingale Medal ceremony that the Empress had attended an official function outside the Imperial Palace and Akasaka Imperial Palace on her own.   The convention was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the new coronavirus disaster, and was held for the first time in three years. The Empress is the Honorary President of the Japanese Red Cross Society. Honorary Vice Presidents Princess Kiko Akishino, Princess Nobuko Mikasa, and Princess Hisako Takamado were also in attendance.   At the ceremony, the Empress handed certificates and other awards to 13 representatives of the Order of Merit, which is awarded to individuals and organizations that have contributed to Red Cross activities. After the ceremony, the Empress reportedly expressed her a...